Modern Center for Trading & Contracting (Modeco), a leading finishing materials supplier in the Kingdom, has acquired the agency for access flooring from Propaflor of UK and is planning to enter the gypsum board market in the near future.

The company plans to obtain an agency for a gypsum board manufacturer to serve this rapidly expanding market, says Ala Abdulhadi, general manager. Last year, the company also boosted its tie-up for USG ceiling products.

Modeco, set up in 1973, is based in Dammam and has branch offices in Riyadh, Jeddah and Al Hasa.

The company has three divisions specialising in: supply and installation of finishing materials; interior design and execution of commercial and residential projects; and corporate gifts.

Since its inception, Modeco has participated in various projects for both the public and private sectors, providing high-quality materials at competitive prices, backed by efficient and dependable project services, says Abdulhadi.

Abdulhadi says 1999 was a slow year and business levels were approximately 10 per cent lower than 1998. "But we expect good growth in the next three to five years as the economy grows," he says.

On the general construction scene in the Kingdom, he says: "Over the past year, it was slower than average. But we expect to have good growth next year in the construction industry."